(CNN) - The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division is investigating how Alvin Greene, an unemployed political newcomer who could not afford a lawyer when facing criminal charges last year, came up with the $10,440 needed to get his name on the Democratic Senate primary ballot.

SLED traditionally does not have subpoena power, which would make it difficult to obtain Greene's bank records in the event that he refuses to turn them over.

But according to The State, the agency will take advantage of a new law, signed by Gov. Mark Sanford last week, that allows law enforcement officials to issue administrative subpoenas to financial institutions.

In the wake of his shocking upset victory over establishment favorite Vic Rawl in the June 8 primary, dumbfounded observers wondered if Greene had been planted on the ballot by mischievous Republicans looking to meddle with the Democratic ballot.

But Greene maintains that he tapped into his personal savings to pay the filing fee.

Top Democrats told CNN as early as June 17 that SLED had begun looking into Greene's financial situation at the request of a state lawmaker, but until Monday the agency would not confirm an investigation was underway.

A Republican state representative, Chip Limehouse, wrote to SLED on June 16 asking the agency to examine Greene's finances because the 33-year-old was given a public defender after he was hit with felony obscenity charges last year.

In the letter, Limehouse wrote that if Greene is not indigent, he should refund taxpayers for those legal services.

soundoff(42 Responses)

todd

Something definitely does not seem right with this.

Don't know if this man was a plant, but it seems awfully strange.

June 28, 2010 09:46 am at 9:46 am |

Hlee66

I agree there's something pretty strange about Mr. Greene's candidacy. But I'm more concerned about "a new law, signed by Gov. Mark Sanford last week that allows law enforcement officials to issue administrative subpoenas to financial institutions." Encroachment on our civil liberties continues at a rapid rate, and this is just another example of it. I'm not sure what an "administrative subpoena" is technically, but in actual practice it seems to be "the state will get into your bank records if it wants to." That's scarier to me than poor old Mr. Greene, who apparently has no chance of winning office in the general election anyway.

June 28, 2010 09:46 am at 9:46 am |

geecee

Glad to hear this. Something is wrong with this situation. How this guy Alvin Greene came up with the funds to file for candidacy is very strange to say the least. Who put him up to this? He is so totally incapable of being a U.S. Senator, and there cannot be one person on the planet who would disagree. Yet, here he is, going up against Demented. It couldn't possibly be that the Republicans had anything to do with this, now could it? We all know those upstanding, decent, moral, law-abiding, clean, pillars of society Repubicans would NEVER do anything underhanded to get their guy elected (Can you say Nixon 1972?).

June 28, 2010 09:47 am at 9:47 am |

phoenix86

What a prime example of how democracy works under the democrats. If a politician may weaken your position, use all branches of goverrnment to attack him. Next up, putting the IRS to investigate political enemies. Change you believed in?

June 28, 2010 09:47 am at 9:47 am |

HappyinVA

Can't say I disagree with an investigation. From public defender to just over $10k in filing fees?.... sounds interesting.

June 28, 2010 09:49 am at 9:49 am |

Willy Brown

Man the democrats sure don't want this guy do they.

June 28, 2010 09:53 am at 9:53 am |

Dutch/Bad Newz, VA

I think Mr. Greene is a republican operative.

June 28, 2010 09:53 am at 9:53 am |

AC

Nothing to see here. They're always wasting money investigating things folks could care less about. As far as I'm concerned...he shouldn't have to spend money on a lawyer for that so-called "felony". It's a complete waste of time, tying up the courts (who could by trying true felons, like armed robbers, child molesters, and murderers) over showing a grown woman an inappropriate picture and asking her, let's go back to my place. Do you know how long courts would be tied up with guys age 12 and up for junk like that? Nothing happened. Who cares? I don't. I hope Alvin Greene wins or makes an excellent showing in the race.

There's nothing to see here. He shouldn't even have been arrested or go to court. What a crock!

June 28, 2010 09:57 am at 9:57 am |

irene v redner

And all the politicians win again.

June 28, 2010 10:03 am at 10:03 am |

John Remington

So I guess you need to be wealthy in order to run for office?

June 28, 2010 10:05 am at 10:05 am |

Joshua

How is this an issue? Greene came up with the cash to run, and won! Perhaps we should examine how our country is being legislated ! They sign in a law specifically to issue administrative subpoenas to financial institutions. Sounds like a waist of tax$ , and time. Greene didn't win office just a primary. So hold the phone on this investigation. let him dig his own grave or become the leader so many South Carolinian's voted he would be!

June 28, 2010 10:07 am at 10:07 am |

Rabbi David

You got to love the witch hunt here and the presumption of guilt prior to ANYTHING being established. I wish I lived in South Carolina so I could vote for a citizen and not an Oligarch of the "lauded gentry".The people never have a chance at election,this guy stepped up and unlike all the politicians who screwed up once IN office, the media and "establishment" move heaven and earth to deny the guy a fair shot at election.You really think people are so stupid they can't see your hypocrisy and double standards that are one way streets that only favor the connected or well to do? I have the sick feeling this guy could do a better job than any of the people from President down to dog catcher we have in office.

June 28, 2010 10:10 am at 10:10 am |

Dano

It does make one wonder how an unemployed person who was supposedly indigent in 2009 managed to save 10k in the course of a year. I have a decent job but I'm pretty sure I haven't saved that much in the same time period.

June 28, 2010 10:11 am at 10:11 am |

Dean

Sounds like he would make a good congressman. It appears he already knows how to line his pockets with other peoples money.

June 28, 2010 10:11 am at 10:11 am |

Nothing surprises me about the republicans

I would not be surprised that the republican party would resort to something like this. They think we are as stupid as they are. Anyone would know that this is not right. They have no remorse or dignity about anything. I am sick of them and their tactics. I hope they are exposed.

June 28, 2010 10:12 am at 10:12 am |

FM

Good that this moron is investigated. S.Carolina can't be too much of gentlemen and let this incidence pass without doing anything!

June 28, 2010 10:13 am at 10:13 am |

Jay

Is an investigation necessary? Using common sense would get you the same result, without wasting money.

This guy clearly seems like he isn't up to the job. But that's how DeMented will win the election even easier in uneducated South Carolina.

He DeMint how did that Waterloo thing work out for you chump?

June 28, 2010 10:19 am at 10:19 am |

SA in OO

This really isn't about Alvin Greene. It's about the people who set him up for this. They are the ones toward whom all all the questions about motive and method should be directed.

We just need to find out who they are. And we will.

June 28, 2010 10:20 am at 10:20 am |

inofritzn

How about they investigate how all pols get their election money.

June 28, 2010 10:25 am at 10:25 am |

Scott

Wow, Democrats really hate democracy. The guy won the Democratic primary, end of story. Vote for him or vote for someone else. But he got over 100,000 democrat votes during the primary way more than his opponent; and he won fair and square (I think thats the part democrats hate the most... Its like his victory has got to be "wrong" somehow, thats the only way to explain it in their minds).

June 28, 2010 10:30 am at 10:30 am |

Ben in Texas

Chances are very good that this is a another Repugnant plot. Last week, we learned that Texas governor Rick Perry's campaign paid for the Green Party to get on the ballot in Texas in an obvious attempt to split the Democratic vote for governor.

The days of dirty Repugnant tricks are still with us, even though Nixon's plumbers went to jail nearly 40 years ago. They can't win honestly, so they try to fix the elections. Remember the presidential election of 2000, when Bush lost the popular vote but got Cheney's buddy Scalia to appoint him president? The beat goes on.

June 28, 2010 10:39 am at 10:39 am |

Claudia, Houston, Tx

If DeMint runs against Greene it will be a total embarrassment for DeMint and the Republican party don't want to spend their capital campaigning against someone who they think is unstable. LOL

June 28, 2010 10:40 am at 10:40 am |

rk

Whatever the reason behind him being in the Democratic primary, he was still voted in by 100,000 SC Democrats who had absolutely NO idea who he was. And then we wonder why we don't like our politicians!

June 28, 2010 10:40 am at 10:40 am |

Robin in SC

Hopefully SLED will uncover the truth here. Somehow this guy has got to get pulled from the ballot so we will have a real choice in SC for DeMint's Senate seat. It's already difficult and unrewarding to be a Democrat in SC; the least we can do is have a legitimate candidate on the ballot.

June 28, 2010 10:41 am at 10:41 am |

blr

I don't think I like this... It approaches very heavy mobster mentality of threatening a candidate for public office just because the established party candidate he beat out doesn't like him... It is intimidation by the government that means that the citizens don't get a say in who becomes a candidate for office, only those who control the police get to have that say. I think the implications go far beyond this character, to a much broader violation of our rights. The ACLU should investigate.